Improvement in drying apparatus



M. s. SEYMOUR & A. nzcxs.

DRYING APPARATUS. 1% 173,741, Patented Feb. 22,1876.

U I D T TE PAT T QFFICE? Meson s. SEYMOUR AND ALONZO Hicks, or FLUSHING, new YORK.

IMPROVEMENTIN DRYING'APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l73,74l, dated February 22,1876; application filed 3 November 10, 1875.

To all whom it may concern: u

Be it known that we, MASON S. SEYMOUR and ALoNzo HIoKs, of Flushing, Queens county, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drying Apparatus for driving out moisture from grain, earth, and other vegetable and mineral substances; and we do declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying illustration, forming a part of this specification.

y The object of this invention is to accom plish the drying or desiccation, in a rapid-and uniform manner, by a convenient and favorable application of heat, which may be from the circulation of steam in pipes or passages, or,preferably, and more simple, from the di-. rect combination of naphtha, or some other cheap fuel.

The apparatus consists of a drying-chamher, 0, having a sufficient height to admit placing therein, in a slightly-inclined position,

a series of reciprocating shelves, S S S, which are, preferably, made-with perforated or wire bottoms,which will allow more or less circulation of heated currents through them, to

efi'ect direct contact of the same with the material to be dried.

The material is delivered into. the hopper. H

i at the top of the apparatus by means. of an elevator, E, raising it from the main supply below. The hopper is provided with a revolving feed-wheel, W, which has armsor branches to breakup the lumps of the material so that it may enter upon the top sieve or shelf in small and as nearly uniform sized particles as may be practicable. The shelves are each'made to move in their respective places, so as to gently disturb the material,

and cause it to move gradually along to the end of the shelf, and then fall over upon the next shelf below, which receives it, and alongtive force which also drives the-wheelW in the hopper.

The drying-chamber consists of an open space inclosed within double walls, between which the artificial heat is admitted at the bottom in the direction shown by the arrows.

The heat is applied from below, and when naphtha is used for fuel it is allowedto burn and maintained in our apparatus as to limit the variation of the temperature to two or three degrees at any point of the drying-chamher which may be selected for the test. This uniformity of temperature is very important in some drying operations, such as drying yeast, wherein an excessive change or great irregularity in the heat supply will destroy the useful properties of the material being dried.

This invention does not allow the products of combustion to pass through or into contact with the material to be dried, but confines it to the space "between the walls of the apparatus. g

The fire may be kept in the combustion-chem her or space B, or below in that marked D, the openings A A serving to admit the necessary air for the fire when above, or the heated air and products of combustion when the fire is below, in D. a

The main shaft M carries a crank, J, which, through the connecting-rods L and K, works the rocking pieces P P on the pins Q Q.

An opening is made at the back of the apparatus, near the top, for a pipe or chimney to carry off the gases. (Not shown in the drawing.)

The object of moving the shelves is to agi-.

tate the material while being dried, and to cause it to gradually move down the incline of the shelves till finally discharged from the apparatus.

We claim as our invention 1. A drying apparatus, consisting of a double inclosing-case provided with shelves ar ranged in a zigzag manner, in combination with the rocking pieces P P and, the connect in'g-irod'sKand HR; for communicating motion municating m0ti0n-t0 said shelves,substanto said shelves, substantially as shown. and tial-ly as shown and'described: described. Dated and signed on this 22d'day'o'fSep- '2. A drying apparatus, having a double tember, 1875. case, in combination with rocking piecesand connecting-rods, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the shel-ves'S S, in Witnesses: a drying apparatus, of the rocking pieces P THOS. FOSTER,

M. s. SEYMOUR. ALONZO HICKS.

'P and the connecting-rods K and R R, for com; JAMES S. SMITH. 

